Mail-box



2 Sheets-Sheet 1r E. R. MEEKER.

MAIL BOX. l

Patented- Sept. 13, 1881.

(No Model.)

fa NZZ?" (No Model.)` f f 2 sheets-sheet l2. E. R'. MEEKER.

MAIL BOX.

No. 246,901. Patented Sept 13,1881. ,l'' J4 llNiTED STATES PATENT @Erica ELLlS MEEKER, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming lpart of Letters Patent No. 246,901, dated September 13, 1881.

Application filed June 25, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELLIS R. MEEKER, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New J ersey,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes for Postal- Cars and Post-Offices; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de.- scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in the attachments of mail-boxes in postal-cars and post-offices; and its object is to effect a quick, convenient, and easy delivery and drawing oft' of the inail-matter distributed in said boxes to the mail bags and pouches, which, in postalcars, are to be left at the various stations along the line of the road and at the terminus of the route. Heretofore this operation has been rendered ineifective and annoying by the use of hinged doors which constitute the bottoms of the distributing-boxes, and which, when unfastened to permit the descent of the' mail into the bags, have the effect to partially throw the mail out into the room over the top ot' the bag, and which, also, to facilitate their operation and to gain access to the bag, have to be held aloft by an attendant.

To remove all these disadvantages and at the same time construct a cheap and durable device, I have devised an improvement which consists of an arrangement of flaps composed of leather or other suitable material, fastened to the bottom sides of each distributing-box, and held together at their ends by suitable means, to form the bottom of said box, and which device I term a center-drop.77

This improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view,'in elevation, of a portion ofthe interior side of a postal-car or post-office, showing the distributing-boxes and my improvement attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a view of the mailbags attached to a rod directly beneath the said boxes and center-drop. Fig. 3 is a plan view, showing the tcp ofthe center-drop. Fig. 4 is a plan view, showing the bottom of said improvement and one means of holding the flaps together. Fig. 5 is aview, in detail, of a hook and center post, the means for uniting and holding the iiaps together, as indicated in Fig. 4. Figs. ,6, 7, and 8 are modifications of the fastenings.

Similarletters refer to similar' parts throughout the several views.

A A A represent the distributing-boxes, attached to the side of a postal-car or ot' a room in a post-ottice, and into which the mail-matter is thrown before drawing off the same into the mail-bags E.

B represents the center-drop in position, attached to the bottom of one ofthe distributingboxes. Y

C shows the center-drop with the flaps open, to permit the mail to fall in a mail-bag below.

E represents a inail-bag attached to the under side of the box A, and in position to receive the contents of the box through the center-drop, as shown by the flaps in dotted lines.

The center-drop, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and constituting the bottom ol'I each distributingbox, consists ofliaps cfg 7L, made of leather, canvas, wood, or other suitable material, their inner ends nailed or otherwise fastened to the inside of boxes A, and their other ends pointed and made to meet at the center, and there overlap each other. The two upper flaps, e and f, are provided with eyelets m at their points. The third flap, g, is provided with a hook, k, and center post, c, and the bottom flap, h, is provided with slot l.

When it is desired to close the center-drop the two upper fia-ps, e and f, are folded over each other, the center post, il, ot' the third flap inserted through the eyelets of the former flaps, and the bottom flap brought up and held and made to support the others by the hook k, inserted in slot Z.

When it is desired to unfasten the centerdrop the bottom ap is raised slightly to free the hook from its slot.

The weight of the mail-matter, which is distributed equally over the surface of the center-drop, aids to hold the hook in place, so that said hook can be made with a very short curve that will facilitate the operation ot' opening the drop, and at the same time the drop is prevented from being opened by shocks and jars.

The construction and arrangement of hook and center post, which may be made in one IOO piece, are shown in detail in Fig. 5. It is provided with a flange, and is riveted to the thirdV ilap, g, or it may be attached thereto in other ways; but in place of a hook a thumb-piece may be used, as shown in Fig. 6, or a hook and staple, the hook being carried by a chain fastened to one of the aps, or spring-nippers with lingers, as shown in Fig. 8, or any other known equivalent means. 'lhenumber of flaps, also, may be varied, and the means of holding them together, without materially departing from the nature of my invention.

By my improvement a light close bottom to a distributing-box is formed, one from which the mail-matter will not escape while fastened nor lodge therein when opened, and Which can be operated quickly to discharge the entire contents of the box into the bags beneath.

1t is obvious that my improvement can be used for other purposes, and wherever it is desirable to attach to the bottom of a holdingreceptacle a device of that kind, by which material held above it can be easily and quick] y discharged into proper receptacles beneath.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pateut, is-

l. A mail-box or other similar receptacle having a bottom composed ot' aps which are provided with a center post, hook, and eyelets, by which means the said bottom is closed and opened at its center to hold or discharge the contents of the receptacle, substantially as described. 4

2. A box, A, provided with flaps cfg h, having eyelets, hook, center post, and slot, by which the said flaps are opened or closed, as desired.

1n testimony whereot'I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS R. MEEKER.

Witnesses:

WM. H. HINoI-IMAN, F. D. MORSE. 

